Cover for a rail pair of a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat and rail pair

Abstract

A cover (11), for a rail pair (3) of a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat (1), includes at least one bottom rail (5) affixed to the vehicle and one top rail (7) which top rail (7) is longitudinally movable relative to the bottom rail (5). The cover (11) has a cover element (11.1) arranged and placed on at least one end (7.1, 7.2) of the rail pair (3) and an integrated stiffening element (11.2), designed to stiffen at least one of the two rails (5, 7), which protrudes into an interior chamber of the rail pair (3).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A cover for a rail pair of a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat, the rail pair comprising at least one bottom rail and at least one top rail which is longitudinally movable relative to the bottom rail, wherein the rail pair have an interior, the cover comprising:
 a cover element which is able to be placed on at least one end of the rail pair; and 
 a stiffening element connected to or forming a part of the cover element and being arranged in the interior of the rail pair transversely to a longitudinal orientation of the rail pair, the stiffening element extending more in a transverse direction of the rail pair than in a longitudinal direction of the rail pair, wherein the cover element and the stiffening element are connected together by a form-fit, material bond and/or force-fit, the at least one top rail comprising a first top rail side flank, a second top rail side flank and a top rail portion, the first top rail side flank being connected to the second top rail side flank via the top rail portion, wherein a portion of the first top rail side flank and a portion of the second top rail side flank extend from the top rail portion in a downward direction, the stiffening element extending to a position beyond an outer surface of the portion of the second top rail side flank and to a position beyond an outer surface of the portion of the first top rail side flank. 
 
     
     
       2. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element is arranged on an inner face of the cover element. 
     
     
       3. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover element and the stiffening element are configured in one piece. 
     
     
       4. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover element and the stiffening element are configured as a molded component. 
     
     
       5. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element is formed from metal. 
     
     
       6. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is formed from plastics. 
     
     
       7. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is configured to be placed on a front face of an end of the top rail and encompasses the top rail on an outer face thereof. 
     
     
       8. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover element and the stiffening element are configured as an injection-molded component. 
     
     
       9. The cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first top rail side flank is located opposite the second top rail side flank, wherein at least a portion of the first top rail side flank, at least a portion of the second top rail side flank and the top rail portion define an upper interior space of the at least one top rail, wherein a width of said stiffening element in the transverse direction is greater than a width of the upper interior space in the transverse direction. 
     
     
       10. A cover for a rail pair of a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat, the rail pair comprising at least one bottom rail and at least one top rail which is longitudinally movable relative to the bottom rail, wherein the rail pair have an interior, the cover comprising:
 a cover element which is able to be placed on at least one end of the rail pair; and 
 a stiffening element connected to or forming a part of the cover element and being arranged in the interior of the rail pair transversely to a longitudinal orientation of the rail pair, the stiffening element extending more in a transverse direction of the rail pair than in a longitudinal direction of the rail pair, the at least one top rail comprising a first top rail side flank, a second top rail side flank and a top rail portion, the first top rail side flank being connected to the second top rail side flank via the top rail portion, the first top rail side flank being located opposite the second top rail side flank, wherein at least a portion of the first top rail side flank, at least a portion of the second top rail side flank and the top rail portion define an upper interior space of the at least one top rail, wherein a width of said stiffening element in the transverse direction is greater than a width of the upper interior space in the transverse direction.